Red Sox Notebook: Good Friends Hunter, Ortiz Go Back A Long Way

BOSTON — Torii Hunter and David Ortiz first met in the instructional league after the 1996 season.

The next summer, they were teammates with the New Britain Rock Cats and their friendship was forged. All these years later, each is nearing the end of productive careers and they're staring across the field from one another.

As Ortiz connected for a game-tying grand slam in the eighth inning of a 6-5 victory in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series Sunday night, Hunter made a valiant effort to rob his friend. Hunter flipped over the fence and into the Red Sox bullpen as Ortiz circled the bases.

"Torii always scares me," Ortiz said. "He's one of the best outfielders I ever saw in my life."

The homer was just the latest memorable hit by Ortiz, who remains the center of the Red Sox lineup. Hunter, in his first year with the Tigers, is coming off a solid season (.304, 17 homers, 84 RBI, .334 on-base percentage).

Hunter, 38, and Ortiz, 37, were teammates in Minnesota and have remained close throughout their careers.

"We're like brothers," Hunter said. "I love him. We're enemies, but I love him to death. I'd do anything for him."

Ortiz hit .322 for the Rock Cats in 1997, when he also made his major league debut. Hunter spent parts of three seasons with the Rock Cats, advancing to Minnesota in 1998.

In 2002, Ortiz had 20 home runs and 75 RBI for the Twins. But the organization did not tender him a contract and he became a free agent, signing with the Red Sox in January 2003.

Eleven seasons later, he has 373 homers with a .292 average, a .390 on-base percentage and two World Series rings.

"He was, I thought, was the best hitter in 2002 on [the Twins]," Hunter said. "We non-tendered him and the Red Sox picked up a gold mine. … [The Red Sox] found a diamond in the rough. And he's been one of the best postseason performers in the history of the game."

Ortiz is also the most productive DH in history. A first baseman by trade, he focused on offense early on.

"I've all respected the way he carried himself day to day, always wanted to hit," Hunter said. "That's it. He didn't care about his defense. Forget that, 'I just want to hit.' … Everything, all his accomplishments, everything he's done in this game is well deserved."

Hunter, who has 314 career homers and 2,170 hits, spent five seasons with the Angels after nine seasons with the Twins. He signed a two-year, $26 million with the Tigers after last season and will be 39 when his contract expires next year.

But he's not certain that this is his final contract.

"I came to the Tigers and [got] rejuvenated," Hunter said. "I'm laughing in the clubhouse every day. I feel like I'm 26 … I've been laughing with tears in my eyes in the clubhouse all year. They brought the fun back for me and the fight, I've always fought in this game. I've always played the game the right way. I could see myself playing beyond 2014, no doubt about it. I'm slim, trim and ready to go, babe."

Other Slams

Besides Ortiz's homer, the other postseason grand slams Red Sox history were hit by J.D. Drew (2007 ALCS), Troy O'Leary (1999 ALDS) and Johnny Damon (2004 ALCS). … It was the 12th postseason walk-off victory in Red Sox history, the first since Game 5 of the 2008 ALCS against Tampa Bay. … Jhonny Peralta, who drove in Detroit's lone run in Game 1, started at his natural position of shortstop after playing left field Saturday. Jose Iglesias was not in the lineup. Peralta was suspended for 50 games for his involvement in the Biogenesis PED scandal. Tigers manager Jim Leyland was asked if there was ever a question of whether the team would bring Peralta back after the suspension. "That was a decision made by [general manager] Dave Dombrowski," Leyland said. "That was a decision Dave Dombrowski made. We talked about it. And according to the rules you had to bring him back, and then you had to make a baseball decision whether you wanted to keep him or not, and that was a decision that Dave said that he would make." … Dave Roberts, hero from the 2004 ALCS, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.